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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. spring — a coil
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spring — of water
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. rush — hurry
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. last — finally
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. spring — the season
  19. last — to go on
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. last — final
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com